Article holder



ARTICLE .noLman Filed June 13, 1932 2 ShOB iS-ShQet 1 Y [NVENTUR 7. efamdwy W 7 @6164 2/ 8- 1935- P. v. REINSBERG 2,010,962

ARTICLE HOLDER Filed June 13, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE muons nomsn Philip V. Bombers, Chicago, 111.

Application June 1:, 93:, Serial No. 816,877

Claims. (01. 211-13) This invention relates to article holders and more particularly to collapsible holders for tubes containing paste, cream, ointment, and the like, and is intended for use especially in the usual bathroom medicine cabinet.

Everyone is familiar with the troublesome nature of such tubes in the usual family medicine cabinet, where the shelves must accommodate numerous other articles; the inconvenience and unsightly appearance of cluttered-up shelves and other objections; which requires but little shelf room in the cabinet; which neatly suspends the tubes vertically in a group that is rotatable,

. wherebyeach tube is readily accessible from the front, so as to be easily removed and replaced; which accommodates tubes of practically all standard sizes; which may be easily attached and removed from the ordinary glass shelves of medicine cabinets by anyone and without the use of special tools; and, in general. which is of neat appearance, sanitary, and rugged but inexpensive construction.

Other objects and features will appear from the detailed description and claims, in connection with the accompanyng d awin s, h ch illust a es several embodiments of the invention, in which the same reference characters represent like parts, throughout, and in which- Figure l is a front view of the ordinary med c ne cabinet with thedoor swun op n and showing the holder applied to one of the shelves: Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of a portion of a cabinet showing the holder attached to the ordinary glass shelf, the shelf, and the rear wall and front door of the cabinet being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the holder;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the revolving carrier for the articles before it is dished as in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing the application of the holder to a wooden shelf;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the holder with a modified clamping arrangement, parts being shown in section;

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the same;

' Fig. 8 is a view showing a modified form of p n means to secure the holder to a cabinet shelf;

Fig. 9 is a. view showing the holder permanently attached to a glass shelf of the cabinet; and

Fig. 10 is a view showing the holderwith a flexible suction or vacuum cup or foot for securing it to the under sideof a glass shelf. 5

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the holder comprises a revolving carrier for the tubes, adapted to be clamped or otherwise secured to the lower side of a shelf 2|, such as a glass shelf. of the usualbathroom cabinet, as shown in Fig. l. 10 This revolving carrier consists preferably of a metal disc or plate 22, as shown separately in Fig. 4, having peripheral recesses 23 formed therein extending nearly to the center of the disc. These recesses, which may be in any desired num- 5 her, five being shown, are adapted to receive the necks of the tubes, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, to permit the suspension of the tubes therefrom. They are smaller at their innerends, whereby each recess is adapted to accommodate tubes of 20 different sizes, the tubes with smaller necks being slid deeper into the recesses when hung on the holder and the larger being held in the wider outer portions. Some of the recesses, as shown in Fig. 4, are preferably larger than others, in 5 order to be sure that the holder will accommodate substantially all standard tubes.

This carrier member is also preferably dished, as indicated. to provide upwardly extending or raised portions at the entrances of the recesses, whereby less care is required in hanging the tubes in the recesses and to prevent the articles from falling off the holder in the rotation of the carrier or in case they strike against the walls of the cabinet or adjacent objects on the shelf. This al o pe mits the lower ends of the tubes to hang outwardlv in case their body portions touch, without causing their upper ends to tend to slip out of their recesses. The opposed edges of the recesses are preferably curved or waved somewhat, as at 24. as indicated in the drawings, in stead of straight, to permit the same to conform somewhat to the round necks of the tubes, depend n on their size, and the tubes to more or les fit into the same and be gripped thereby.

The peripheral edge of the carrier is also preferably notched or waved. as at 25, or roughened in any desired way, to enable the carrier to be readily turned by a touch of the finger.

The revolving carrier is rotatably secured to the lower end of vertical post or standard 28, which in turn is adapted to be firmly clamped or otherwise secured on the lower side of an overhead support-in this instance, the shelf. In order to conserve vertical space and enhance lateral rigidity of the holder, the carrier should be in as close proximity to the shelf or support as possible while spaced therefrom sufiiciently to give room for the ends of the suspended articles above the carrier. Thus, in this form of the invention the pivot post 26 is riveted or otherwise secured at its upper end to the center of a metal, circular, dish-shaped supporting plate, body, or member 21 having front and rear clamping hook members 28 passing through front and rear slots in the vertical or flanged peripheral edge of the supporting member 21, These hook members 28 are fiat metal strips bent at their outer ends, as shown, to form hooks which engage over the front and rear edges of the shelf 2| or other support. A coiled spring 30 within the member 2'!- extends between the inner ends of the hook members 28 to exert an inward tension thereon and to cause the hooks toengage and grip the front and rear edges of the shelf to firmly clamp the holder to the under side thereof. Lugs 3i, punched orstruck up from the material of the hook strips, prevent the hooks from being drawn tightly against the outer edge of the member 21, whereby the holder may be the more readily manipulated to attach it to the shelf, and they also prevent the hook members from passing so far into the interior of the member 21, when the device is not in use, that the hooks and springs become loose, possibly disengaged, out of position and lost.

Small lugs or raised portions 32 are formed on the edge of the supporting or clamping member 21 at diametrically opposite points from the hooks to positively engage the under surface of the shelf at widely separated bearing points to give rigidity and prevent sidewise tipping of the holder. Such raised bearing points, of course, would not be necessary if shelves were all of even thickness and plane surfaces throughout, but some, even of glass, do not have plane surfaces underneath; the edges are frequently thicker than the body of the shelf, and other variations occur. The hooks 28, being under tension, may be depended upon for contact at the front and rear to prevent tipping the holder in the one direction while the lugs 32 positively prevent it from tipping in the other direction.

In applying the device to a cabinet, such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shelf is withdrawn slightly from the rear wall and the hooks 28 are drawn out sufiiciently to pass over the front and rear edges of the shelf, after which the spring 39 snaps or draws the hooks together tightly against the edges of the shelf, holding the member 21 substantially central of the same, and the plate is then pushed back against the rear wall of the cabinet or into its normal position. The tubes may then be hung in the recesses of the revolving carrier, shown in Fig. 1, and may be readily removed, by rotating the carrier by pressure of the finger on the edge thereof to bring the desired recess or tube to the front.

In case the shelf is of wood, as in some of the older cabinets, and is not removable, or is too thick for the hooks to clamp over the edge, the spring 30 within the body 21 may be unhooked and removed, and the hooks 28 then reversed or turned end for end, as shown in Fig. 5, the slots in the edge of the member 21 being sufficiently large and loose for the purpose, and screws 33 passed through the holes with which the spring 30 formerly engaged and thence into the lower face of the shelf, thereby firmly securing the holder to the shelf. In this position of the membars 28 their hooked ends bear against the inside of the shell 21 and exert a bracing effect thereagainst, so that the holder is firmly held in position.

In the form'shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the construction and operation are the same except that the clamping plate or member 38 consists of a fiat sheet metal disc of somewhat smaller size than the corresponding supporting member 21 in the first form described. It is also provided with oppositely extending ears or projections 85 (see Fig. 7). The central portion of this disc is depressed to make room for the spring 30 and the inner ends of the hook strips or slides 28a, which, except for the inner offset ends, are the same as before. A portion on each lug 35 is bent downwardly to form a loop or strap and an aperture 38 is cut in the lug and body through which the hooks slide and operate. The manner of use is obvious from the previous description. In the case of non-removable shelves, the construction of Fig. 8 may be provided. This consists of a fiat stiff metal spring member 39 of considerable width compared with the diameter of the post 26, adapted to slip over the front edge 'of the shelf and having secured to the lower longer leg the pivot post 26. This firmly clamps the holder to the under side of the shelf and is readily removable.

In Fig. 9 is shown a means for securing the holder to glass shelves which may be employed by the manufacturer of the cabinet, so that the holder will be sold as an integral part of the cabinet. In this form a suitable hole 60 may be formed in the shelf and a screw inserted therethrough and into the upper end of the pivot post, the top of the screw when tightened being flush with the upper surface of the shelf.

In Fig. 10 the supporting post is supplied with a rubber suction or vacuum cup or foot M, which, when pressed firmly against the lower surface of the glass shelf, will firmly hold the tube holder in position. In this form a headed lug or projection on the upper end of the pivot post is preferably cast in the rubber vacuum foot or cup, as indicated in the drawings, although any suitable means may be employed to fasten the cup to the upper end of the post.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the holder may be quickly and easily installed and as conveniently removed; that but little lengthwise shelf room is required even for a number of tubes or articles; that it is of neat and ornamental appearance; that it is easily and conveniently operated, and that it is of simple and rugged construction and economical to manufacture.

While I have thus described my invention in the several forms shown, it is apparent that various changes, alterations and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the same as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A device for supporting paste tubes, from and underneath a horizontal shelf of a cabinet comprising a swiveled holder having a plurality of recesses therein of a size to receive the necks of the tubes, and means for mounting said holder from and underneath said shelf for swivel movement about an axis transverse to said shelf in position to provide clearance for the heads of the tubes between said holder and the lower side of the shelf and to provide clearance for the body of the tubes in the space below said shelf, said mounting means comprising a' centrally depressed supporting member having slots in its opposite edges, a strippassingthrough each slot, the outer ends of said strips being hook-shaped to snap over the edges of the shelf, the inner ends of the strips being offset and a spring connecting said ofiset ends to provide tension to draw said strips inwardly, said strips, when the spring is disconnected therefrom, being reversible in the slots, and said oii'set ends, when so reversed, providing fastening means to secure the strips to a support.

of the tubes, and means for mounting said holder from and underneath said shelf for swivel movement about an axis transverse to said shelf in position to provide clearance for the heads of the tubesbetweensaid holder and the lower side of the shelf and to provide clearance for the body of the tubes in the space below said shelf, said mounting means comprising a centrally depressed supporting member having slots in its opposite edges, a strip passing through each slot,

the outer ends of said strip being hook-shaped to snap over theedges of the shelf, and a spring connecting the inner ends of said strip to provide tension to draw said strip inwardly.

PHILIP v. REINSBERG. 

